Frogs and Princes
by MagicalRachel
Summary: Sometimes not everything is the way you'd like it. Sometimes you just have to work with what you've got. Chapter two now up. Ryan/Kelsi friendship, slash themes *Chyan*, HSM 3 spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Frogs and Princes  
**Rating:** G  
**Word Count:** 1220  
**Summary:** Sometimes not everything is the way you'd like it. Sometimes you just have to work with what you've got.  
**A/N:** Ryan/Kelsi friendship. Chyan in later chapters. Spoilers for HSM3. Just warning...

"You've never kissed a girl?" Kelsi asked, shocked, her fingers slipping from the keys, ending the melody she was playing abruptly. It wasn't often Ryan surprised her, and she had known him since she was nearly seven so maybe she should have known this, but she figured that there had to be some things they kept hidden. "Then how do you know?"

"I just know Kels." Ryan sat next her on the piano bench where they had been working on a song for _Senior Year_, the Spring musical. The music room was dark around them, illuminated only by the chintzy table lamp Kelsi had picked out at Goodwill last year. There couldn't have been more than ten people in the entire school at this time of evening, and both of them found it a good time to work. It was, Kelsi though and Ryan secretly agreed, nice to have some space to think without the bedazzled spectre of Sharpay looming over them.

Speaking of Sharpay... Kelsi dislodged her pencil from the messy knot of hair at the back of her head and frantically scribbled out the four bars of triplets she had added in to the song that morning, contemplated changing the key of the song and then added an extra two crescendos. Better to change it now than have Sharpay breathing down her neck all day tomorrow whining that it didn't suit her voice, wasn't what she wanted, and couldn't Kelsi ever get anything right without her assistance?. Satisfied, she tucked the pencil back into her bun and turned to Ryan, who was staring at her with an amused expression on his face.

"You could be bi," she said, suddenly remembering what she had been talking about before inspiration in the form of Sharpay came up, "And just never know because you've never tried it."

Ryan sighed, nudging Kelsi's elbow out of the way so he could pick out the keys for G# Major. He played softly, not really playing anything in particular, and focused his gaze on her. "Kelsi." He removed his hands from the keys, raising them to tuck the stray hairs on Kelsi's face behind her ears. "You know I love you, right honey?"

"More than any woman who's not related to you, I know."

"Then you have to trust me on this one," he said." It's just something I know. Like when Shar was little she knew she that one day she was going to grow up and find a very handsome and very rich prince to marry. She kept a scrap book full of magazine pictures of her dream men and everything." He laughed at the memory, shaking his head. "I had a few pictures of my own, you know." he winked at her and then paused, thinking. "Neither of us had ever been with anyone, but we both knew what we wanted. But no one ever questioned her. You don't have to kiss anyone to know you're straight, so why do you have to kiss someone to know you're not straight? Why am I so different?"

His tone was sad and Kelsi wrapped her arms around him in a hug, smoothing the green fabric of his sweater with her fingers. "You're not Ry... I was stupid to say that."

"You know it," he said, pulling her off him and smiling brightly at her. "Anyway, you know you like someone who is decidedly not male and I know you've never kissed a girl."

Kelsi tried her best to look scandalised and failed miserably. "I know," she said, her smile fading.

Ryan picked up the teapot that sat on top of the piano and raised an eyebrow at Kelsi. She nodded and held up her mug for Ryan to fill. Tea would make her feel better; it always did. She smiled gratefully as Ryan poured tea into both their mugs and then passed the milk jug down to her.

"We on Lady Grey again today?" he asked, sniffing at the delicate steam that wafted from the surface of the liquid. Kelsi nodded and he sighed, blowing on his tea to cool it as he brought the East High mug to his lips. "We make quite the pair don't we? I can't quite seem to get my boy and you can't quite seem to get your girl, and to make matters worse they've both somehow managed to get each other."

Both were silent as they thought back to the display in the cafeteria the day before.

"If it's any consolation we make quite the fabulous pair." Kelsi said at last, tipping Ryan's hat with her free hand. "And it'll work out. You'll see." It had to work out. It just did. She knew as well as Ryan did that Chad and Taylor weren't right for each other, and not for the reasons everyone else thought, but that they hadn't quite figured it out yet. She had thought that they were making progress, but then Troy had gone and invited Gabriella to prom...

"I just... I know." he reached up, putting his mug back on the floral tea tray. He brought his hand back down, dislodging the sheaf of sheet music that leant on the stand, and watched it flutter to the floor. "I got it," he said, bending down to pick it up.

Kelsi had an idea. "Hey," she said as he shuffled the stack of papers and placed them back in their rightful spot, before stretching up to relieve the tension in his back. "Come here."

"Come whe-" he turned towards her and she caught him off guard, wrapping her hands around his neck, and pulling him close. She wasn't Chad, and he certainly wasn't Taylor, but they were both lonely and maybe this was what they needed right now. Either that or she was about to throw eleven years of friendship out the window.

She kissed him softly, lingering for barely more than a second. He looked surprised, not even kissing her back before she pulled away, eyeing him warily.

"Still gay?"

"Still bi?" he countered, rubbing his face absentmindedly. He looked dazed, but there was the beginning of a smile on his face.

Kelsi let out a breath. Perhaps she wouldn't have to find a new best friend just yet. "Yeah," she said.

"We could..." Ryan gestured awkwardly with his hand, blushing.

"Yeah..."

He initiated the kiss this time, lips pushing insistently against hers, hands entangled in her hair, tongue grazing gently against her lips. She let him in, her own hesitance melting away.

They were both breathing hard when they pulled away.

"That was..."

"Pretty impressive for your first time, Ry," Kelsi winked at him, "Anyone'd think you'd been practicing," she laughed. "But, I have to warn you, no amount of tongue is going to turn me into your prince."

Ryan laughed, throwing his head back, hands grasping instinctively at his hat to stop it from falling off. He blushed again.

"Kelsi my dear... Did you just compare yourself to a frog? Wait... Does that mean you were trying to turn me into your princess?"

"I..." she giggled, turning back to the piano, staring unseeing at the sheet music spread out on the stand, trying to calm herself. "Oh Ry," she said at last, "You've always been my princess."


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Frogs and Princes (Part 2/?)

**Rating: **PG13 (mainly for innuendo and slash themes)

**Word Count: **2168

**Summary: **Overthinking is a bad thing. Sometimes rehearsals aren't so great either, but at least there's always this dance.

**A/N: **Huge, huge thanks to everyone who commented in the "what should I call Ryan's scooter?" thread on the _I Don't Dance_ lj community. This chapter is for all of you. Thank you also to those who reviewed chapter one. :D

Kelsi didn't think she'd ever been as nervous in her life as when she walked into school the next day. She didn't speak to anyone as she wove her way through the crowd outside homeroom, heading straight for the music room that had been her home since term began. It was the music room she had written some of her best songs in; it was the music room she and Ryan had cried in after Chad and Taylor started dating; it was the music room she and Ryan had... Oh.

Suddenly she wished she had somewhere else to work in.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out, flipping it open automatically before noticing the name at the top of the graphic. She took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing..._

_ashton not start - only just leaving. not goin homeroom. meet u in 2nd free_

Kelsi couldn't help but laugh as she read the message. He'd named his beloved Vespa _Ashton_ within minutes of setting eyes on it, or so he had told her. Sharpay had wanted to name it Lauren, Hugo, Gene, or something else equally related to couture or Hollywood royalty, but Ryan had insisted: it had to be _Ashton_. Kelsi had asked him why one day. He'd shrugged and smiled innocently at her, before saying cheerily that he'd always wanted to ride Ashton Kutcher and walking towards English class. Kelsi hadn't spoken to him for the rest of that day after she'd snorted orange juice out of her nose and all over her favourite top.

She shook her head tried to will the away the memory. Fun as it was, she could not let herself be distracted from whether or not Ryan would ever forgive her. Well if the message was anything to go by he was still talking to her at least. Although if he was pretending like nothing had happened it would be almost as awkward as if he wasn't talking to her at all. After all it was one thing to be ok with something in the moment, but another to be ok with something afterwards and... _Calm down girl, you__'__re over thinking things._

It was times like this she really wished she had paid more attention when Ryan had been trying to teach her yogic breathing.

Her phone buzzed again just as she sat down at the piano, almost making her miss the bench entirely. So much for that moment of calm. It was Ryan again.

_eta... if had to lose my girl kissing virginity with anyone am glad u. love u even if u gave me girl cooties 3_

Kelsi laughed and shut her phone, putting it back in her pocket. They were going to be fine.

***

They may have been going to be fine, but the Wildcats were clearly not if that afternoon's rehearsal was anything to go by. The singing was mediocre at best, and even Troy and Gabriella finally getting their harmonies right couldn't lift the performers' standard as a whole. The dancing was... well. Kelsi found herself suddenly really grateful that she was just in charge of the music once Ryan's dance rehearsal began. It was all she could do smile supportively at Ryan every time one of the dancers went wrong or missed their count or... heck it was all she could do to not walk out.

Ryan was, apparently, not faring much better.

Standing in the centre of the stage, he pinched the bridge of his nose and tried not to wince as the basketball slipped from Zeke's hands and almost hit Jason in the head. For the seventh time that afternoon. No wonder the poor boy was failing maths.

Ryan almost cried as the song started itself again and Chad almost immediately became two counts behind everyone else. He turned around and gestured to Kelsi to stop the music. She pressed pause on the stereo and watched as Ryan's entire body seemed to relax instantly. He twisted his body back towards the dancers and waved at them, before clapping his hands and saying the words he's been wanting to yell all afternoon.

"OK everyone, we're done."

***

Ryan had just picked up his towel and water bottle when Chad approached him. It wasn't unusual for one of the Wildcats to hang around and talk to him after practice, but it was usually Gabriella with her encouraging words, or Zeke with his cookies that just _had _to be passed to Sharpay, or Troy with his earnestness and eager sentiment. Not Chad. And certainly not Chad looking so forlorn.

"I suck, don't I." Chad said before Ryan had even had chance to say hi, great practice, it's good to see you working so hard. Even if Chad's words were more true at that moment than anything he might have said.

Ryan rubbed his left temple with his free hand and tried to come up with an answer that wasn't 'I love you, but yes,' or 'yes, and me being in love with you won't change the fact that all I need right now is some Audrey Hepburn and a hot bath, so if you don't mind I'd like to pretend you don't need cheering up,' or just plain 'don't worry, I love you anyway.' He settled for some advice. And a lack of 'I love you'. It would probably get him further in the end. "You have to stop counting Chad... You're focusing more on your numbers than on the beat." There. Honest and without a trace of irony.

Chad blushed and lowered his head, looking embarrassed.

"Told you I couldn't dance." he muttered, suddenly looking so pathetic that Ryan couldn't help but want to help him. Still, this was Chad and Ryan knew he wouldn't get him very far with sympathy.

"You told me you didn't dance." he smirked at Chad, thinking back to that day. _That day_. "Didn't. Not couldn't. There's a difference, or have you taken too many knocks to the head with a basketball to see that?"

There. Chad's head lifted and he laughed. "You're all right, Evans, you know?"

Ryan rolled his eyes. Of course he _knew_. "I believe the word you're looking for is fabulous."

Chad opened his mouth and then closed it, swallowing awkwardly. Well that was a conversation killer. Always best to not refer to oneself as _fabulous _when in the presence of your ridiculously closeted jock crush. It was back to the matter in hand, then: Chad's dancing. Ryan dropped his dance bag back down to the floor and took a step towards Chad, gesturing for the ball the other boy held in his hands.

Chad handed it over, eyeing him suspiciously, seeming to forget that these days a basketball meant dancing almost as much as it meant his game.

"Right." said Ryan, taking the ball and turning back to face his audience of, uh, Kelsi, and moving into the starting position for the _Now or Never_ choreography. Basketball was not Ryan's game and he could never pretend it would be, but Ms Darbus wanted a _Senior Year_ musical complete with basketball, and he'd let someone burn all of his hats before he created anything less than brilliant. Really it was lucky that Ryan had spent so much time at the games this year, even though gathering moves for his basketball choreography debut hadn't been his intention at the time. No, his intention had been...

"Dude," Chad said, waving his hand in front of Ryan's face. "You OK, man? You kind of spaced out there."

Oh. Right. "Uhh... Yeah, I'm fine." Distracted by memories of a sweaty Chad... Totally not his fault. "Kelsi," he called in the direction of the orchestra pit, where she sat scribbling frantically in her notebook. Ryan rolled his eyes as she looked up; it was all she seemed to do some days. "Hon, can you start up the basketball number?"

Kelsi nodded and reached over to the stereo Ryan had brought in the week before. They had only had the recordings of all of the completed songs for a few days, but they had already proved invaluable to the dance rehearsals, giving the orchestra some time to breathe. She pressed play as Ryan told Chad to watch him, and then sat back to do the same, a smile forming on her features.

Ryan's dancing was as flawless as she would have expected it to be, and he worked with the ball like he had been dancing with one all his life. Chad was impressed, especially given that Ryan's basketball skills had proved to be zero to none in the few informal games Ryan had joined in with in the summer.

"How... How do I get to look like that?" He was stammering, and Ryan was sure he could see a faint blush on his dark cheeks.

"You never will." Ryan sighed dramatically, and Chad's smile dropped. "I'm sorry, you just wouldn't work as a blond." he deadpanned.

"You! You're in for it man." Chad grinned and pushed him playfully.

"I don't doubt it." Ryan almost squealed as he lost his balance, "But could you perfect the dance before you kill me? I want to see my hard work pay off before I die."

"Hard work. Dance. Right." He didn't exactly look convinced.

"You need to learn the music Chad. Not just listen to it a lot... Learn it. Really learn it. Like, listen to it all the time until you can hear it without listening to it. You need to feel the beat, because once you feel the beat the rest will follow."

"I... That's asking a lot, isn't it?"

"You're a good dancer Chad. I know you can do it. Here," he said, motioning to Chad for his hands and taking a step towards him, the basketball forgotten on the floor. "Let's try with something I know you know the steps for, something a little easier."

Kelsi had been listening, and knew where Ryan was going with this from their discussion during chemistry that afternoon. She sat down at the piano. "You want a waltz, Ry?"

"Yeah."

Chad blinked. He was supposed to waltz? With Ryan?

"Here," said Ryan as he took Chad's hands, moving them so that they were in the correct closed hold position. "While I know you know it, I know you're not confident with it. So pretend like you're me and you'll be fine."

"Thought you said I'd never work as a blond," Chad murmured, his breath coming dangerously close to Ryan's ear.

It took all of Ryan's self restraint not to jump him right there.

Apparently Chad felt something too if the hitch in his breathing was anything to go by. Whatever he felt, he covered it up by laughing suddenly and plucking the straw fedora from Ryan's head, resting it precariously on his own.

"What?" he grinned cheekily. "If I'm going to be you the least I should do is steal your hat."

Ryan was suddenly transported back to that day at Lava Springs in the summer; the day when he thought he might have had a chance with Chad. He felt a flush creeping up his chest and thanked the theatre gods that the lights were dimmed in the auditorium. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Kelsi looking at him again.

She winked at him knowingly and began to play.

Chad swallowed nervously and began to dance, his nerves seeming to melt away as they took their first step, and he lead Ryan around the half empty stage almost effortlessly.

Ryan maintained eye contact throughout the dance as he was twirled and even lifted by his partner. It was in the name of good practice of course; what kind of dancer would he be if he didn't maintain eye contact with his dance partner? Still, he could pretend it was for a different reason, even if his partner didn't know it. Perhaps that was the reason he found himself getting a little too lost.

Kelsi had stopped playing minutes before and Ryan was still stood there, his arms around Chad, holding him in frame.

"Ryan..."

Chad was looking him in the eyes, his lips moving soundlessly.

"Hey, Ryan..."

Chad was bringing his hand to cup Ryan's cheek, inching his face forward. Any moment now and their lips would touch.

"Evans!"

Ryan was shaken out of his daydream by Chad shaking his shoulders. Oh.

"Dude, I gotta go," Chad said, lowering his hands and removing Ryan's from around his waist. "I have a date tonight." he squeeze Ryan's hands as he let them go, and stepped back, smiling bashfully at the other boy. "Tay's mom and dad are outta town... She's letting me stay over tonight."

Chad jumped off the stage and jogged up the aisle, calling out as he turned the corner into the corridor, "Later man!"

Ryan stood alone at stage left, staring blankly after him and trying to pretend his heart wasn't breaking.

He failed miserably.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N - Thank you to everyone who's been following this story and has hung on for this chapter. This is for all of you, but especially for Cassie, who read this all those months ago when I was still in the UK and before this chapter started giving me angst. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 3

It took Kelsi three half fat double vanilla (but hold the cinnamon) chai lattes and the promise of her battered old copy of _On the Town_ to get Ryan to do anything other than sit and stare blankly at the piano in the hour after rehearsals finished on Friday.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Ry..." she said, curling up next to him on the battered sofa they'd moved into the orchestra pit the week before. "He's seventeen-"

"Eighteen," Ryan interjected, not shifting his gaze from the piano keys. "He turned eighteen over Christmas break. You were in New York looking at schools, remember and-"

"I remember." She said abruptly. A little too abruptly, if the look on Ryan's face was anything to go by, but it wouldn't do for him to go off on a tangent when he was miserable enough as it was. "The point is," she took a sip from the mug of half cold latte that Ryan had left abandoned on the table. "The point is that he's an eighteen year old boy in an admittedly questionable relationship with an eighteen year old girl. The topic of sex was going to have come up eventually."

Ryan tore his gaze from the old piano and turned to look at Kelsi. "I just... I just kind of hoped he'd be with me when it did."

Right then, Kelsi hated Chad Danforth.

----

Mondays were widely acknowledged amongst the group of friends to be the best day to ask Taylor about everything and almost anything. For one it was Italian day in the cafeteria, and even Sharpay couldn't deny that the East High staff made a mean ziti and even meaner zabaglione. For two it was the day of Taylor's most beloved class: double chemistry. For three she was, strangely (to her friends at least) at her most relaxed and open. And this, Kelsi thought, was right where she needed her to be.

All things considered, if Kelsi was going to find out about Taylor's 'sleepover' with Chad that weekend, Monday lunchtime was really the best time to do it. Even if the thought did break her heart a little.

Kelsi sighed softly as she moved to sit at the table that she, Taylor, Gabriella, Martha and occasionally Sharpay (when Ryan was nowhere to be found and Tiara was running errands) had adopted as her own. She sat down carefully; mindful of not tripping over the bars that attached the seats to the table (because public humiliation would make this _so _much better). The things she did for Ryan.

Now, she thought as she tapped out a loose rhythm on the chipped tabletop, how to go about it?

Oddly enough, it was Gabriella who provided the perfect lead into what could have been, really, a very awkward conversation.

"Ohmygosh, girls, you will not believe what happened this weekend," she almost squealed as she sat down, taking her normal seat between Martha and Taylor. The cup of pink Jello on her tray wobbled dangerously as she brought it down on the table with a crash. "My mom let Troy stay over! It was so romantic..." she sighed, "We had a picnic, played board games and then stayed up talking until 4am..."

"Chad stayed round this weekend." Taylor said brusquely, interrupting Gabriella's monologue.

"And?" Martha nudged Taylor in the ribs, winking at her.

"And what?" Taylor said, confused by Martha's questioning. She brought her forkful of ziti to her mouth and ate, savouring the taste of her favourite dish.

"Spill, sister! How was it? How was he? You were safe, right?"

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."

"Uh, Tay?" Kelsi intervened. Honestly. _Gabi _she would have expected this from (after all, Kelsi very much doubted that Gabriella even knew sex had purposes beyond reproduction, let alone knew what they were like), but this was _Taylor_. And like it or not, with three older sisters to keep her informed, Taylor was a lot more street smart than Gabriella and undoubtedly knew about these things. "She's asking what it was like."

"The sleepover?" Kelsi cringed as Taylor swung her head around to face her and looked at her questioningly. This was not something she really wanted to spell out. _No Taylor, we're asking about the sex life you may or may not share with a boy who my best friend is totally in love with. Oh and I may or may not be totally in love with you. Happy now?_

"The sex." She said eventually, not looking up from her plate.

"Oh, Honey, I didn't sleep with him." Taylor said, gesturing with her fork. She looked down at the table and then lifted her head, smiling slightly and shaking her head. "Don't get me wrong, I think I could have done had I pushed the issue. But he didn't ask and I didn't push. In any case I don't think Chad's emotionally ready for that." she frowned. "And, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure I want to sleep with someone who isn't entirely sure he wants me."

"But you two are so perfect for each other!" Gabriella exclaimed, waving her spoon around. Her cream covered spoon, Kelsi noted, as she dipped her head to avoid getting droplets in her hair. She rolled her eyes as Gabriella pouted prettily.

"We're really not," Taylor shook her head, "We have next to nothing in common, but we could work around that. We have different dreams and plans, but then who doesn't? But that's not it. It's just... we kiss and then he opens his eyes and there's just this look of surprise. Like I'm not who he expects to see."

"He just can't believe how lucky he is?" Gabriella said hopefully. Kelsi rolled her eyes.

"Maybe. But I don't think so." She sighed and ate her last mouthful of ziti. "Sometimes I think..." she trailed off.

"What?" said Kelsi, leaning in towards her.

"I think he's-"

"Ohmygod eeewwwwww!" Gabriella squealed, cutting Taylor off. She stood up quickly, revealing a fast spreading patch of what appeared to be milk (or at least Kelsi hoped it was milk) on her denim miniskirt. "Help me get it off before it stains!"

The class bell rang before Kelsi had a chance to talk to Taylor again.

-----

Kelsi had a pass from homeroom that afternoon to go to her advanced piano class, and so she wasn't able to see Ryan to tell him about Taylor's lunchtime revelation until rehearsals after school.

"So you're telling me they didn't…? Ryan asked, his eyes widening.

Kelsi nodded her head, scribbling frantically on the sheet music she was clutching. "Yup. Nothing, nada, niente, and Taylor's not sure about them at all."

"Then that could mean…"

Ryan was cut off by an angry shout.

"Ryan! Small person!" Kelsi's shoulders shook in silent laughter as Sharpay tottered over to them on too-high pink stiletto heels.

"Hey Shar-"

"Ryan," Sharpay interrupted shrilly. "Mother called. She said, and I repeat: 'Kitten, the dry cleaners had an unfortunate accident with your Chanel blazer-'" she paused, her eyes glowering, fuchsia lips pouting. Ryan and Kelsi both winced. "'Oh and tell Ducky that I picked him up a pint of dulce de leche _Haagen Daaz_ and will meet him for yoga in the studio at 8.'"

Kelsi blinked slowly and raised her left eyebrow at Ryan.

Ryan swallowed nervously.

"Ice cream, Ryan?" Sharpay said, "Ice cream and yoga with mom? Even though you tried to deny it I knew you were moping this weekend and don't tell me it was over nothing because I'm giving up mourning my Chanel blazer for you."

"I uh… it was… you see…"

"Actually," said Kelsi, taking Ryan's hand in an unexpected move, "We could use your help."

"My help?" Sharpay asked incredulously. "My help, Small Person? You, who told me last week that you wouldn't ask for my help with anything to do with this show unless I was the last person left with any knowledge of theatre in all of Albuquerque."

"It's for Ryan, not for the show," Kelsi said quickly, elbowing Ryan in his side as he opened his mouth to question the wisdom of asking his sister for help in a matchmaking situation. Neither he nor Kelsi had forgotten Sharpay's disastrous attempts at it last summer at Lava Springs.

"Oh. Well then…"

"I've written you the biggest number in the production and it has pyrotechnics." Kelsi reached back to the piano, picking up the piece of music she had been working on and passing it to the other girl. She smiled winningly and winked at Ryan.

Ryan smiled uncomfortably, unsure if he really wanted his sister involved.

"OK I'll do it," Sharpay said finally. "But for Ryan, not for the song. Although I'll take that too."


End file.
